Atlanta Hawks Rookie Logs New Career High in Saturday-Night Win

The Atlanta Hawks were viewed by many observers as an Eastern Conference contender entering the 2025-26 season.

In addition to bringing back star guard Trae Young, defensive phenom Dyson Daniels and former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, among others, the team added Kristaps Porzingis over the offseason. Coming off a 2024-25 season that saw Atlanta reach the Play-In Tournament, the team was seen as a group that could take another step forward.

So far, the Hawks have't lived up to those expectations, but the team has had a decent start to the year. Quin Snyder's group currently sits at 5-5 after dealing with multiple injuries, including one that has held Young out for the past five games.

In that span, though, Atlanta's younger players have stepped up and helped the team stay afloat while it waits for Young to return. Most recently, the team's core helped the Hawks past Luka Doncic and a solid Lakers' squad.

Mouhamed Guye led the way for Atlanta with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, while Risacher chipped in 19 points. Doncic was the game's leading scorer, notching 22 points and 11 assists.

Behind the Hawks' two leading scorers, rookie Awa Newell and veteran wing Vit Krejči each tallied 17 points in the win. For Newell, who played more minutes than any other player on Atlanta's bench, the outing marks a new career high.

Against the Lakers, Newell shot 7-of-12 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3-point range in 27 minutes. The first-year forward added 5 rebounds, 4 steals, a block and a turnover in the win, notching the best performance of his young career.

Listed at 6-foot-11 and more than 220 pounds, Newell is averaging 6.8 points and 3 rebounds per game across five appearences to start his NBA career. A five-star prospect coming out of high school, Newell was selected No. 23 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft after averaging 15.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, a steal and a block per game as a freshman at Georgia.

With good athleticim and mobility for a player of his size and stature, Newell seemed like a good fit with the Hawks when he was selected, and now the rookie seems to be finding a rythym in Atlanta.

Newell could become even more valuable when Young returns and the rookie big man is able to get more reps with the team's star point guard as a lob threat.

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